Over the years leading psychologists around the globe have successfully uncovered the mystery surrounding anxiety and its effect, specifically on young people. Researchers are unanimous in claiming that anxiety affects most of these persons in the form of a specific phobia. Typically, it manifests itself in the form of an intense and illogical fear towards a situation or particular objects of a magnitude never seen before. The afflicted individual continually finds it quite difficult to cope in such scenarios with their only response being flight. In reality, what goes on in their head differs starkly with the manner in which their bodies ultimately react (Ollendick & March 2004, p. 56). For instance, an individual might acknowledge that they need not dread a situation, but their bodily response eventually makes them run away from these “dangerous” objects. In other occasions, these same individuals may experience extreme panic that may severely curtail their ability to act rationally or make the right decisions. A school bus driver whose anxiety specific phobia has snakes as the feared object may endanger the lives of students heading home from school. The mere sight of a lone snake slithering across the road might trigger an extreme response from the bus driver. While it is clear that the snake cannot do any harm to a bus driver in a 22,000-pound vehicle, the result may be devastating. The driver might veer off the road in a bid to flee from a perceived “threat” and may end up putting his life and that of his passengers at risk. In this essay, I will give a discussion on anxiety specific phobias, their common manifestations and how to manage them best.
Anxiety specific phobias often involve individuals exhibiting extreme fear for particular objects or scenarios. They may react fearfully towards individual animals, the dark, hospital environments and an overwhelming response that is even capable of “freezing” the body in utter dread (Autre, 2013, p. 45). Escaping is usually the first thought that comes to the mind of such individuals as they feel that it is the only way they can save themselves from a dangerous situation that may degenerate at any moment. It is important to note that generally, anxiety is a standard response among human beings. Being nervous about financial difficulty, lousy weather, potentially dangerous animals or speaking in public is typical in rational intervention. It only becomes a source of grave concern when it takes over every aspect of an individual’s life. Persons affected by these types of specific phobias are always obsessing over the object they fear and continuously on the lookout. Such an unhealthy preoccupation impedes an individual’s ability to function optimally and fit into society. They are therefore unable to carry out their mandate at work or have healthy relationships at home as they continuously find themselves in at any particular moment. General anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common type of anxiety-specific phobia where the subject worries mostly about non-specific situations. It is not easily detected and the reason why it still ranks as one of the most dangerous disorders (McLean & Woody, 2001, p. 23). Intense terror, in the form of panic disorders, is another type of anxiety-specific disorder that often causes confusion and breathing difficulties in scary situations. Together with social anxiety disorder, they adverse effects on individuals who might even choose to avoid people altogether.
Persons exhibiting symptoms of anxiety disorders often worry excessively. Worrying is a normal, as it allows persons to keep track of their progress in life and improve their present condition. In the case of anxiety specific disorders, subjects take worrying to a whole new dimension which is often characterized by an excess of their level of worry. Anxiety about life events or specific mundane objects becomes persistent and preoccupies every aspect of their lives. They, therefore, have a difficult time leading healthy lives as they usually are in a lot of emotional turmoil. Moreover, sleep depravations are common in such persons and alters their ability to lead healthy lives. In most occasions, they are affected both physically and mentally by a lack of sleep as they continually toss and turn without any success in an attempt to rest. The result is fatigue that often affects their productivity level, even when it is clear that those affected find it difficult to calm themselves down (Bourne, 2011, p. 67). Additionally, irrational fears often become a hallmark of anxiety specific phobias. Their worries are usually at a proportion that is difficult to manage and even becomes crippling during some situations. Muscle tension also becomes a common manifestation of anxiety whenever someone finds themselves in an unfamiliar position that causes significant panic. Physicians recommend exercise as one of the best ways to remedy this type of situation. Regular visits to a psychologist have also become a viable way to manage anxiety-specific phobias with extreme cases requiring medication as is the fact in victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
In conclusion, anxiety specific phobias are a severe health concern that needs to be managed. Thousands of individuals are affected by these irrational fears and their subsequent response which is why psychologists have to focus more on how best to handle such conditions. As mundane as they seem, anxiety specific disorders can wreck a person’s life, hence the need for a speedy response to such a debacle.
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